2019 - THE NO-BUY, LOW-BUY, BUDGET-BUY ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT THREAD

[ElleElleG]

updated 12/31/19* The 2020 Thread is here 2020 - THE NO-BUY, LOW-BUY, BUDGET-BUY ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT THREAD

Hey all!  Welcome to Year 5 of the No/Low Buy thread 😲. 

Since 2019 is LITERALLY around the corner so I figured it was time to get this thread started.  The 2018 thread can be located here: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/2018-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILI...

For reference here's the purpose of this thread (from lnum):

This thread is a support system for all of us who are trying to maintain a budget and keep our beauty spending limited. Post here when you have a weak moment, post here to hold yourself accountable, post here when you just need someone to talk to, post here when you have advice for all of us, and post here when you make mistakes but also make gains! Many of us post here to keep track of our monthly purchases. Anything you need to say, we are all here for each other. There's no judgement here.

Feel free to share your goals, items that tempt you, missteps (we don't believe in failures), and any successes.  Above all else, encourage and support one another.

The 2017 OP and link:

Spoiler

lnum wrote:

Welcome to Year 3!

My motto for this thread is that I strongly believe, even on a budget, you can have the things you want that make you happy without feeling like you're limiting yourself. 

This thread is a support system for all of us who are trying to maintain a budget and keep our beauty spending limited. Post here when you have a weak moment, post here to hold yourself accountable, post here when you just need someone to talk to, post here when you have advice for all of us, and post here when you make mistakes but also make gains! Many of us post here to keep track of our monthly purchases. Anything you need to say, we are all here for each other. There's no judgement here.

I am so excited to spend another year with you all. If it wasn't for the first two years of this thread, I would never have been able to cut down my beauty spending. My goal for this year is to maintain low spending on beauty, and cut down my clothing purchases. I will be funneling that money into traveling, which is what I have done in the past and it's a great goal that truly motivates me. 

I'm still so proud of everyone for making it through 2015 and 2016, limiting ourselves in the beauty product area in order to improve our lives in other areas. We all did great and here's to another year of learning and saving!

Here is a link to the 2015 thread: http://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB-ROUGE/2015-The-No-Buy-Low-Buy-Budget-Buy-Accountability-and-Supp...

2016 thread: 

http://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB/2016-The-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILITY-AND-SUPPORT/td...

 2017 thread: https://community.sephora.com/t5/VIB/2017-THE-NO-BUY-LOW-BUY-BUDGET-BUY-ACCOUNTABILITY-AND-SUPPORT/m...

Challenges to Help You Use Your Stash:

Spoiler

Pan It! 2018 Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/Pan-It-2018-Challenge/m-p/3604337#M317498

Use Your Foil Samples Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Beauty-Confidential/Use-Your-Foil-Samples-Challenge-January-2018/m-...

The Perfume Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Perfume-Posse/The-Perfume-Challenge/m-p/2633976#M18939

Mask of the Week Challenge: https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/Mask-of-the-Week-Challenge/m-p/3615125#M44343

**are you participating in a challenge that I failed to mention?  if so please let me know I can link it here**

[KehDee]

I’ve been doing really well with my budgeting. My financial situation is improving and I’m working on Dave Ramsay’s baby steps. I haven’t bought anything since I needed new foundation (and bought a lipstick that is a shade I wanted for a top I have). But I’m really being tempted by the new honey palette by Urban Decay. I’m going to try and use my points to buy a gift card (if those still exist) to offset the cost. Or wait until Christmas because I usually get a gift card then. It’s not that far away right??

[howconnie]

Wait for Christmas, I’ve got that palette on my wishlist too, love the wearable colors. I’ll wait for my store to do a Urban Decay promotion, so I get a mini makeover and gift with purchase.

[KehDee]

Waiting is definitely the right plan! My store never has anything good so I mainly do online

[l8totheparty]

I would guess that you have a lot of eyeshadows that you like and can use, so Christmas really isn't that far away. And if you like the goldish honey look, do you have a colour in another palette that you can play around with until then?  

Congrats with sticking to your budget! @KehDee 

[KehDee]

Thank you 🙂 I don’t have anything gold to experiment with, which I think is what is drawing me to it. Fingers crossed for a rouge reward and maybe a gift card for Christmas! If not, maybe a treat to myself for sticking to my low buy

[IndyQT317]

Congratulations @KehDee on your progress 👏🏽. The UD Honey palette does look nice. I like your ideas of using points or holding until Christmas for a gift card. Remember there will be another sale and you'll be able to get the palette at a discount during Christmas time as well. Love that you mentioned Dave Ramsey too. I'm a huge fan of his philosophy and in Baby Step 2 myself. If done Dave-ish for awhile and this year really started getting intentional with my spending. Keep going!!

[KehDee]

Thank you! It’s been hard but I’m working on it. Nice to meet someone else on here going through the baby steps. I’m on step 2 as well.

[heartsmyface]

I went to Sephoria and blew my no buy buying the ND metropolis palette, briogeo honey conditioner and a pat McGrath palette.

I’m not even sure how to count Sephoria as a beauty purchase but it is the ultimate beauty purchase.  

Let’s just say I came home with over $4000 of product? 😬😝

back to the no buy.  Until Japan.  🤣 i’m Not good at this but I am actually doing well in that I am making informed choices which aren’t impulse led.  

As an example- I went to CVS for the first time ever and managed to leave without makeup.  

[howconnie]

I think that’s more like what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. We don’t diet in a chocolate factory. Hope you had a great time and your Instagram makes folks jealous. 

[KehDee]

Sephoria sounds amazing! Good job for trying to stick with your budget. Each day is a new day!

[ShortErica]

One step at a time @heartsmyface. And in regards to CVS, waiting until I get a coupon (especially those 40% off a single item ones) makes me much more conscience about when to purchase.

[heartsmyface]

@ShortErica   I think I’m doing this right at least.   I spent the money I would have spent on makeup I just swatch and stash away, on an amazing experience with BIC members and still ended up with lots of beauty products.  

[ShortErica]

Experiences + beauty products > just beauty products @heartsmyface! Looks like you had an awesome time at Sephoria!

[elthom]

I'm frustrated with myself. It wasn't a huge purchase but I bought the Sephora Favorites Clean Makeup Kit because it was only $17 (Canadian). I can easily afford it but I needed absolutely NOTHING that was in the box, and I knew that  before I bought it. By the time it arrived I was so annoyed at myself that I didn't even give it to somebody I know, I just donated the whole thing to a refugee family. I've made a pact with myself that If I buy anything else I don't need, I will do the same thing. It's not the money so much as the fact that I just don't need any more makeup. I will never in six lifetimes use up what I have and I am tired of wasteful unnecessary purchasing. I think this strategy will work for me. Writing it down here will also help me to be more mindful of what I buy!

[Brutalitops]

@elthom Great reminder that just because we *can* buy something still doesn't make it a good choice! I love your choice to donate the box, and hopefully your savings from reduced spending will allow you greater financial freedom in other areas of your life!

[heartsmyface]

@elthom  Although I believe you could have returned it, I like that you instead made the effort to give it away.  That says a lot about your character.  💖💖💖

[newcarlee]

Ah...the lure of a “good deal”. I can totally relate, @elthom. I have done many such purchases myself and am in the same boat. I can afford the purchase but get frustrated at myself for buying something I already have too many/much of (like clothes or shoes and now skincare products!) Take it easy on yourself and use this one purchase to remind yourself next time you want to buy a want (vs a need) to not buy.  As for donating your buy - that’s an awfully nice thing to do.

[elthom]

Thanks @newcarlee! I just checked my year to date makeup spend and (apart from this) it is only $34 - and all of that was bought on sale - so I'm not really upset with myself. It was just such a dumb purchase! Now I have to not stock up too much on my skincare and simply replace that when it is almost finished. Succumbing to consumerism is so easy!! And yes, I understand about the shoes!

[howconnie]

Only $34 in a year that’s great 

[howconnie]

Well another week has passed in my year to become debt free. I am on track for September. I spent way too much at Sears but I needed underwear and I wear an odd sized bra. They tossed a buy one get one free swim wear sale at me on Labor Day and I bit. They have the cutest sexiest swimsuits that cover stretch marks and C section scars, but don’t look like that’s what I’m doing. I think I spent $100 and I hoped to spend $20. In order to stay on budget I cut out Bath And Body Works cause their Labor Day sale was lousy. I also went over budget at the Mac counter At Ulta, I meant to spend $20 but I spent $35. I am going to not buy the Lime Crime highlighter palette to make up for it, I prefer lipstick to highlighter anyway.

So I am now $450 dollars debt free for September. I just have to have restraint for the rest of the month. I blew my whole months budget on Labor Day weekend. Still have $50 For restaurants and bars for the month that will leave me $400 dollars debt free.

[ShortErica]

You've got this @howconnie. Sounds like you picked up things you will use and enjoy. Now you just have to stick with what you have left to spend.